Pennsylvania Town Kills Compressor Station Request

XTO Energy’s next move uncertain

Published: 02/26/2014 01:00 PM

The Board of Supervisors for the South Buffalo (Pennsylvania) Township denied a request from XTO Energy to build a natural gas compressor station on the McIntyre Farm near Grandview Drive and Ford City Road.

About 60 residents attended the meeting on Monday, Feb. 24. Their concerns ranged from the station’s proximity to residential property to the potential for noise and air pollution.

XTO officials have said the location was optimal based on its proximity to the NiSource Midstream Services gas transmission line, which runs across Western Pennsylvania, and an existing valve at the location.

XTO’s next move is uncertain, though the board’s decision does create the potential for a lawsuit. According to the town’s attorney, the township’s zoning ordinance designates oil and natural gas well activities as a conditional use in residential and agricultural districts.

Tomskneft, a Russian oil and gas production company, has begun using drones to detect issues in pipelines to improve the quality of monitoring and reliability and reveal unauthorized access to the pipeline protection zone.